Solacement
by The Sincerities
Summary: Theme Collection. 022. Ersatz: She, more than anyone else, knew when to tell if he was hurting inside; and she, more than anyone else, knew just how to make it all better.
1. Allure

.

Solacement  
>by: <em>Sincerely. Yvette<em>

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>001: Allure<p>

* * *

><p>優れ<p>

Of all the people who resided in Konohagakure, believe it or not, Naruto was by far the most charismatic.

Naruto, that stupid, infamous fool with a pair of whisker marks on each cheek? The young man who used to be a loudmouthed shortie? The idiot who went off on a journey with the lecherous Jiraiya, the toad sage, for two and a half years? The village hero?

Yes, _that _Naruto.

He was a natural, and he didn't even know it. That was how natural he was.

How could this, this—_dumbass_ ( in the words if Sakura ) be considered attractive in the first place, you ask? Why, how could he _not_? Sakura wished to know the same thing.

How could this fool flatter her so easily?

Oh, it wasn't as though she had become attracted to him—no, it wasn't that. But it sure was intriguing how well he treated her. Compared to his premature state as a genin, he had returned home with what seemed to be more, well, more experience.

Sure, he was still the loudmouthed Naruto he used to be, and he still invited her to those silly dates to Ichiraku, but along with his physical form ( which Sakura would admit had changed in a good way ), his methods of approaching her had smoothened their edges out.

He knew to only offer a date if he could support it—financially.

He knew when to watch his words around her—although sometimes it still slipped his mind, but hey, nobody was perfect.

He knew what drink she had a habit of ordering, and thus ordered for her before she had the chance to widen her eyes, impressed.

This idiot never called her Sakura. He always called her _Sakura-chan_, and only _he_could call her Sakura-chan. Whether he watched his words or not, he almost always spoke of what was on his mind, and that included growing pink in the cheeks before chuckling out a compliment to her.

_Sakura-chan, you always seem to impress me . . ._

Sakura-chan, you're beautiful.

Sakura-chan, you're amazing.

He said the stupidest things sometimes, and Sakura hated how much she liked it.

Naruto always smiled around her; always tried to keep her smiling as well. Even though he knew she could easily pummel him into a pile of blood and bones, he also knew that she was particularly ticklish. If his words didn't make her smile, his 'Tickle no Jutsu' did. It came with recoil though, for he almost _always_ resulted with a black eye or breathless crouch.

Sometimes he didn't even have to try.

Sakura would stare at him, arms crossed as she shook her head.

How was it that he, of all people, made her swoon without effort; made her feel wanted and respected, more than she did around Sasuke; caused her scowl to crumble into a crooked grin as she tried not to laugh.

Uzumaki Naruto was not supposed to be capable of any of this.

He was to annoy her—not lure her into a session of laughter.

And what she hated the most was how the simplest of his actions were all it took for her cheeks to flourish the same tone as her hair; all it took for her to glance away with an angry, misunderstanding pout.

Oh, but she wouldn't admit it. No, not ever.

Naruto was not attractive. Not one bit.

優れ

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Welcome, my name is Yvette.<p>

This collection will contain a hundred snippets for NaruSaku; call it a drabble series, if you will. Each piece will be generally short, meaning that they will be around 500 words each. Some, however, may be longer. I write in all sorts of perspectives, so Naruto or Sakura POV's will come up once in a while.

As a writer, I prefer to stay realistic. The timeline for each chapter/drabble will range from current ( with hardly any spoilers, do not fear ), to the past and hardly ever the future. I do not write AU and I keep Naruto and Sakura at a very close friendship, while sometimes making it bloom into something more. From what I have observed, you do not need them to kiss or do much more than communicate to get your proper fill, if done properly.**_  
><em>**

Ah yes, kiss scenes are very rare from me, but they will come up in this series once in every blue moon, unlike my previous series which contained none ; )

I plan on making these based upon fluff, therefore, you can expect little things that make your stomach bulge with butterflies. I prefer light fluff rather than a bucketful, thus my snippets will be light. Some may be bittersweet, but above all, they will contain a form of sweetness.

Many people find sweets to be very comforting, often times chocolate. One particular watcher mentioned how my previous collection, _Beyond Flavorless_, lifted her icky moods every now and then. While I hope that these will make you, the readers, smile—I also hope that perhaps they can lighten up your mood if you're having a bad day.

I enjoy writing these up, so I hope that I will not disappoint. I may be a jittery updater sometimes, but I can promise you that there should be at least one update a week. I hope to see you in the future : )

( _My notes will not be this long in each chapter. This one is an exception because it is the first chapter and counts as my introduction. In the future, my Author's Notes will be very short, and sometimes even inexistent._ )

**_Have I mentioned how much I enjoy looking over your reviews? _**


	2. Phantasm

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>002: Phantasm<p>

* * *

><p>ファンタズム<p>

Naruto sat cross-legged over the materials of his sleeping bag, beside him laying his master, who grumbled a snore once every twenty seconds.

He simply sat, listening to the silence of the nature around him; the crickets singing; the faint rustle of the branches; a howl or two in the distance. He twiddled his thumbs as he glanced down at his forehead protector, which now had a newly stitched sash under the silver plate—this one black rather than the misused blue from over a year ago.

He had been so angry with Jiraiya the day he noted that his headband was no longer on the cheap nightstand at one of the inns they had stopped by. After lying through his teeth and forcing him to calm himself down until the following week, Jiraiya returned the headband with an alienated sash, long and dark.  
><em><br>What the—what did you do to my headband? Ero-sennin—!_

He had sounded so calm when he replied.

_Calm yourself! The thing was nearly torn in two at the base of the plate. It needed some fixing. Here, I decided not to throw away the old fabrics._

Naruto sighed.

"_Nosy, good-for-nothing lecher_," he mumbled as he rustled into his pouch beside the sleeping bag. He felt at a miniature container before pulling it out onto his lap. "Hmph."

He opened it, revealing a basic medical kit. He stared at the rolls of bandages, the tools held together in a pouch, two tiny bottles of ointment, and all that he never bothered to use. His gazed moved to his knuckles, which were freshly sliced and bruised. Of course, they had already begun to heal, but they stung when his hand flexed.

His right reached into the container for the thinnest roll of bandaging, and he began winding the soft lining over his palm and knuckles. He smiled at his previous rashness when he had stormed further into the forest and began pounding at the tree bark out of anger.

It wasn't completely his fault; that headband meant the world to him. Iruka had given him; it was his first symbol as a graduated shinobi; it was what he wore along with Team Seven.

But it was battered and torn, and he could have very well lost it completely if it weren't for Jiraiya.

The medical kit clattered as he pushed it aside and levered his back onto his sleeping bag. With his hands resting atop of his stomach, he closed his eyes.

_Honestly, Naruto._

Suddenly nature was no longer so silent. She was talking to him.

_It's just a headband; you didn't have to go off and bruise yourself. _

He would have replied with something like—_Heh, I guess! But Sakura-chan, you do the same thing, only you cause more destruction with that massive strength of yours—_if Jiraiya had not been right beside him.

"_Shh," _he whispered instead, "_Sakura-chan . . . Ero-sennin is asleep. You'll wake him."_

He could feel a familiar pinch in his skin, and a warmth over his bandaged cuts. Her fingers and her palms both rested over his hands, their touch causing the blood to rush to his cheeks. The sting began fading away. He smiled.

_Look at you; you can't even bandage your wounds properly! _

He was about to reply, but he stopped himself and enjoyed her touch instead.

Next time, don't worry,

she said moments later, this time her voice fading into a soft whisper. She was smiling; he could hear it. _I'll sow it up for you, just like old times. _

Naruto's eyes slowly creaked open, and they met with a faint jade starting down at them. His pace quickened, and he had the urge to spring back up to embrace her.

"Sakura-chan," he breathed, "you're really here . . . !"

And so he did.

His eyes stared wide at the shadows around him, and at the obscurities that lay before him. Jiraiya's snores still puttered, as well as the coo of an owl.

There was no Sakura.

He looked down at his hands, which still stung from Kami knows how long ago.

With his jaw left agape, he processed the reality. He fought back the nostalgia as he glanced back at the medical kit thrown beside him. The medical kit she had given him for his journey, just two months after her own training began.

Naruto plopped back onto the ground. His eyes closed once more, and he could still feel the warmth of her touch.

ファンタズム

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>I apologize for my absence. This week happened to have been my testing week, thus I had hardly a minute to spare to write up my next chapter. However, it's now Saturday, and testing is over. I hope you enjoyed this light drabble—which takes place somewhere during Naruto's two year journey with Jiraiya : )<p>

_**As previously mentioned, I enjoy reading your reviews. I thank those of you for your previous ones for **_001 Allure_**, which were far too kind and kept me smiling.**  
><em>


	3. Lethargy

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>003: Lethargy<p>

* * *

><p>無気力<p>

"Sakura-chan," he whined, tugging at her arm. "Sakura-chan, _c'mon_! You're never this unmotivated!"

There he stood, hunched over her as she lay with an arm over her eyes, the other extended over the field. She smiled up at him, snapping her arm back and letting it flop down. The breeze waltzed past them, and Naruto deadpanned.

"_Sakura-chan_!"

She bit her tongue, continuing to ignore him. Instead, she listened to the greenery around them; the sounds of the world around them in the Wheat Country.

The sunrays beamed over her, causing her eyes to squeeze together tightly. She felt these rays lose their strength, thus causing her to crack open an orb of jade, which then processed Naruto glaring childishly at her.

He remained squatted beside her, over her, both arms resting on his knees. His brows furrowed and he pouted.

"You gonna get up?" he seethed, reminding her of their days as genin. He sounded so stubborn.

She turned her head, away from his gaze, and frowned.

"Nope."

With that, Naruto sprung from his position, throwing his hands in the air, and throwing his head back with a groan.

Suddenly, Sakura felt a grip on her sides and she lifted up from the ground. Her eyes shot open, her jaw dropped, and her arms flailed forward for support. All in one go; she was hoisted over Naruto's shoulder with his arm wound over her knees as he stormed down the field of wheat.

Her fist pounded thickly onto his back as Sakura looked past her own shoulder to shout at him properly.

"Naruto—what the hell do you think you're doing! _Put me down_!"

"_I will_—once we get back to the training area!"

She grit her teeth, partially acknowledging his bravery; however, that was no excuse for disturbing her rest.

"I already told you that we can finish up later!"

"Hah!" Naruto smirked at her as they both approached a section of white sand with a set of logs and metal bars. "Sakura-chan, with that attitude you'll never learn how to create your own technique!"

Sakura silenced before suddenly bursting out with a sharper tone.

"Oh—you wanna' see a technique, _do you_—?"

She felt him grip onto her again, this time leveling her back onto the ground. He placed his hands onto her shoulders, staring at her with a grin. Her mouth closed, and her brows rose curiously.

"Yes, Sakura-chan, _I want to see a technique_." He stepped behind her, taking hold of her hand. "Baa-chan ordered me to help you train—so I will! But only 'cause it's you! Now use the tips I told you—gather your chakra and—!"

His words cut off when her elbow jabbed him with a commendable accuracy at his gut.

"Get your hands off me."

As he blinked and tried to regain his breath, Sakura marched back towards her spot under the sun.

Yes, Shishou ordered both of them to train as they stopped by the Wheat Country; however, sparring nonstop with a dumbass that didn't seem to ever run out of stamina was tiring.

It was amusing to see him so committed though—especially when it came to Tsunade's orders ( which he generally ignored ).

When a hand grabbed onto her wrist, she clamped her own into a fist. Her body turned to face Naruto, who now looked completely serious.

"Sakura-chan."

"You're not going to give up—are you?"

"I never give up, don't you know that?" His expression softened. "To answer your question, no, I'm not."

By the time it was sunset, Naruto had practically dragged Sakura—who was now completely exhausted and sweaty—to an urban cranny about a mile from their inn. He left her beside a bus post in front of the small shop, and eventually came out satisfied.

Sakura looked up from the ground, turning her attention to the Popsicle in his hand. He held one end out to her, smiling brightly. She took a few seconds to straighten her posture and grab onto the offered side. She gave him a crooked smile, and both teammates pulled and snapped it in two.

"Ero-sennin always used to do this with me after a good day's work." He bit off the top, savoring the tanginess. "You're a quick learner Sakura-chan—better than I was when he tried showing me how to control the Rasengan."

She smiled, also giving her Popsicle a nibble.

"I just have better control than you; it was damn hard to get my spin going."

Naruto shook his head.

"_Nah_—you're just a really great shinobi once you get into it."

She tried to hold back her flattered blush—but she gave up on it. Instead, she gave him a punch on the shoulder as she bit off a fuller piece of her Popsicle.

"Oh, _shut up_."

無気力

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>This theme burst my inspiration into a full flame. From it came this little drabble, which I really, <em>really <em>like. Takes place somewhere after the Time Skip. Jiraiya and Naruto split a Popsicle once or twice in the manga—so that helped add onto the ending. These drabbles make me smile when I make them.

_**Let me know what you think in a review : )**_


	4. Nurture

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>004: Nurse<p>

* * *

><p>看病する<p>

Maybe he wasn't the best when it came to proper medical care, but he was definitely fit for nursing someone back to health. He didn't need a first aid kit, and he didn't have the proper knowledge to use one properly anyway.

All he had was tender loving care.

So when he sat beside Sakura with a bowl of stew and a spoon in hand, he made sure to smile at her sleep-deprived expression as he narrowed closer and closer.

He remembered the exact hours she had to take her cough drops, and he never left her side. He checked her fevers, and he spoke quietly, careful not to agitate her.

He wasn't very fond of reading, but he made sure to mark the pages of _Icha Icha Paradise_ when she drifted off to sleep. Although . . . she hadn't been very happy to hear him act out the . . . _well_—the _suggestive _roles in chapter six. The neighbors would be sure to gossip about the numerous screams and moans.

Oh, and one couldn't forget the breathless voices both he and a gender-switched bunshin put on.

She trusted him enough to have him spend the night, and she could always find him sitting on a chair beside her bed, facing her with his head hanging back, a blanket on his lap, and _Icha Icha Paradise _flipped open.

"Naruto," she would say, "I'm serious. It's just a cold. Go home and get some rest."

"Are you kidding? I'm not going home until you're one hundred percent healthy, Sakura-chan!"

She never won because he cared too much to leave.

He always made her angry when he would stand over her as he lifted the damp towel on her forehead.

"Stop staring."

He would laugh as he'd dip it into the water, wringing it.

"Why?"

One particular day, he swallowed his pride after asking. Instead, he leaned over and pressed his lips above her eyes.

"You have a very charming forehead, Sakura-chan." He'd then place the towel back into place. "Don't worry."

He pushed his luck, knowing that she was too tired to pummel him. But this didn't stop the increased tone in her cheeks.

"And your blush is the cutest I've ever seen ~ !"

Eventually it would run out, and he'd end up smashed against the floor.

Though Sakura had to admit: Naruto was the best at nursing her back to health with such ease.

看病する

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Two more weeks, guys. Two more weeks and you won't have to wait so long for my updates. Summer, here we come : )<p>

**Leave me your regards in a review ~**


	5. Farewell

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>005: Farewell<p>

* * *

><p>別れ<p>

The day of his departure, he told her to meet him by the entrance gate.

Late that afternoon, he had spent his entire day bidding his goodbyes to all of the Konoha Eleven, to all of his prized friends, to Teuchi and Ayame at Ichiraku—who would lose their golden customer for a good two or three years—and to the apartment that would be left isolated with his stacks and piles of ramen.

The very last person on his list was Sakura.

_Sakura-chan, be sure to remember to meet up with me at the gates, okay?_

Just as he was hauling his belongings down the paths, he noticed another pace sounding beside him. He glanced at her, her eyes staring at him with a smile. This time, he was not approached loudly with a: _you're late! _Of course, it was because he _wasn't _late, and neither was she.

"Sakura-chan!" he smiled, instantly grabbing hold of her hand and pulling her aside. "Sakura-chan, you remembered!"

She scoffed, taking back her hand with a smirk.

"Of course I remembered."

They were just before the Ninja Academy, which was desolate and missing its students. Rather, all that remained was Naruto's favorite swing as it swayed beneath its tree—it's only companion.

Naruto dropped his belongings, taking a long while to fully engage his smile.

"Sakura-chan," he began, and she listened, now uncrossing her arms. "I'm going to miss you."

He had to admit that it wasn't often that he would see such a sympathetic look come from her, but as it appeared and was directed towards him, he felt his stomach churn with a distant tickle. His cheeks began to redden, and his brows furrowed – but he still smiled.

"I really am going to miss you, Sakura-chan."

He stood before her, watching as she nodded.

"Konoha won't be the same without you either, Naruto." She mirrored his expression. "I do hope you know that." Her arms traveled behind her back, and she looked down. "Things just won't be as lively. . ."

Normally, he would have asked for permission before acting out on his own towards her, but today was an exception. He was sure of it. Thus, rather than signaling his urge, he completed it by slamming himself into her and winding his arms around her tightly. His eyes squeezed shut, and he embraced her thin figure, which soon came to return his action.

They stood, and he didn't want to let go.

So he didn't.

"Sakura-chan," he said as he finally began to release her, "I'll come back stronger than ever."

She laughed.

"Sure you will."

He gave a chuckle as he grabbed his knapsack, gained a momentum back into the streets as he waved with a grin so wide, he could feel the corners tugging at his muscles.

Sakura waved back, equally as energetic.

"Come back in one piece!"

His thumb flipped into the air, signaling his O.K. As he paced faster, he continued looking back at her.

"Don't change, Sakura-chan!" he called out, loud enough for her to hear. "Promise me that you won't change!"

And with that, he faded into the distance, towards Jiraiya, and towards his new journey.

He was going to miss her.

別れ

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>As a contradiction, this chapter is signaling my arrival rather than my farewell. As of today, I am on my long-awaited summer vacation and thus I shall be able to update the plethora I have been holding back. I'm very happy to say that my updates will flow neatly throughout these next two months. Bonjour my beautiful people – thank you for your wait.<p>

_**How have you all been? Feel free to leave me a review regarding your thoughts on this chapter, which I rather liked ; )**_


	6. Swagger

_._

* * *

><p><em><em>All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly.<em>  
><em>**NOTICE: **I am setting up a request bank. See the **underlined **portion in my Author's Note below for further details._  
><em>

* * *

><p>006: Swagger<p>

* * *

><p>濶歩<p>

Something that I admire about Sakura-chan is the way that she carries herself around Konoha. Her head is always held up high, she looks at people directly eye when she's talking to them ( and it's hard to look back at her since her eyes are so pretty! ), and there's just this feel I get when I see her walking through a crowd.

I remember back in the academy when she used to be so cute ( she still is ) and shy. Whenever Iruka-sensei would call on her she would always blush and look away, and she always spoke with such a low voice.

Now _I'm _the one looking away because she's always staring directly into my eyes, and her voice is either precise or even intimidating ( when she's mad it's just scary . . . ), and I wouldn't dare call her shy anymore.

Sakura-chan has grown, I think, since the days when we were still academy students and even just genin.

As a genin, she wasn't very sure of herself, and her skill level wasn't as high as it should have been. Man, but just look at her now! She's an amazing medical nin, and I agree with Ero-sennin when he says that she may have even surpassed 'baa-chan! Just the way she healed Kankuro; the way she extracted the poison from his cuts; the way she knew how to produce an antidote . . .

Just—_damn_! I don't even know what to say!

Sakura-chan's gotten very strong too ( not that she wasn't already ), and it's gotten to the point where she can actually kill me if I make her mad. I thought she was scary enough when we were younger; now I have to think twice before I speak around her ( as if it wasn't already hard! ).

Sakura-chan leaves me speechless—she really does.

She's so confident now, and she has a _reason _to be confident. It just makes her even prettier when I see her look so sure of herself when she's working, and when I see her smile as though she's just really comfortable with herself.

Sakura-chan's just . . . I don't know—just _really _something, and I admire her for it.

濶歩

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>I was looking through some YouTube videos today and I came across many 'confidence' videos.<p>

Lately, since summer is a time that I take for myself to reflect on what I should work on, confidence is a little something that should always be looked upon as a nice improvement. Confidence is essential for happiness, in my opinion. When you're confident, you're happy with who you are – you shine this brilliant light of positive energy when you're confident. It's a nice feel, you know?

Haha, now before this turns into my own view on confidence, I hope that you enjoyed this little piece, which actually meant something more to me than usual.

Sakura, being my favorite character because she's just captured in such a realistic light filled with many flaws ( which are slowly being worked over and improved ), I think is honestly blooming out of her previous image from when she was younger. She's really coming to be a determined, skilled kunoichi after learning from her many mistakes. Naruto, from what I have seen, is coming to notice and even admire these changes – thus this piece was born.

Just my two cents – so please no bashing since I know that some people dislike her.

( I apologize for having such a long _Author's Portion_ of this chapter; I got a little carried away, and the request adds onto it as well )

* * *

><p><strong>ALSO ( <strong>_request notice_** )****:**

* * *

><p>I am willing to start a request bank for <em>Solacement<em>, so if any of you want to see a specific theme put to use, feel free to either review or PM me with such theme.

The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex ( _i.e_: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**_: _Alluring ). Don't feel pressured or anything though: _you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym_. I may not get to every request, _however_, I will try to pick out more than just those that capture my eye.

This, I am hoping, will set together faster updates since it is summer. I want you guys to have plentiful updates while I have free time, thus, request away! :D

I hope that you guys are having a wonderful summer so far ~

_**Reviews make for a happy author.**_


	7. Esteem

_.  
><em>

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>007: Esteem<br>_Requested by_: Master 390

* * *

><p>尊敬<p>

I don't think I've told him yet, though I sure hope Naruto knows how much I truly appreciate him. Sometimes I'm not even sure I can tell him, simply because it's grown past being explainable; well, in words, that is—but I just know that Naruto has more than just a handful of my respect. As stupid and foolish as he may be, he's earned it.

I look at him and see this matured, handsome—_wait, no, I take that part back_—this mature, grown man who's slowly coming to be a person that nobody can forget. Behind that figure likes a child at heart. His views are full of such deep insight and he just wants everybody to come and smile, no matter how tough their life. Whether they want to or not, he makes them smile somehow, picks them up from the ground somehow—and that includes me.

He goes out of his way to make me smile, and he won't stop at it until I do. But it has to be a real smile, and he knows when it isn't. He doesn't just notice, either. He calls me out on it and says:

_Sakura-chan! Either smile or frown—but don't fool people with a false smile! Smiles have to genuine!_

Just the fact that he cares so much, enough to keep persisting me for dates; to make a stupid promise that he just won't drop; to give me all the attention I need and push away; to keep me at the top of his priorities. . .

That's just so much for one person to give and it makes me . . . well, it makes me _happy_.

He's the only person who's ever made me feel truly wanted, the only person to treat me with the most respect and care no matter how much I hurt him, no matter how hurtful my words can be.

If he's willing to deal with me, someone completely temperamental ( he can be so dense sometimes though, so he deserves it! ), impatient ( he takes is _precious_ little time sometimes . . . _the nerve_ ), and violent ( I've got to stand up for myself, don't I? ), he truly deserves my respect.

Naruto brings my spirits up somehow. He's been by my side, playing as the shoulder I lean on for Heaven knows how long. And he's still here.

There's no way I could ever replace him; someone like him doesn't come by twice . . .

It's a little pathetic—having such high appreciation for a fool like him.

. . . but he deserves it.

尊敬

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>This one's a bit like a sequel to Swagger, and I liked how it came out. I had fun writing it, and in fact, it came to me rather fast and thorough. Great request.<p>

I hope you like it, everyone, _Master390_: )

**Request rules**: The request bank is in act. Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must**_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex ( _i.e_: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**_:_Alluring ). Don't feel pressured or anything though: _you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym_.

_**Leave me your regards in a review.**_


	8. Innocence

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>008: Innocence<br>_Requested by_: SoulParadox

* * *

><p>無罪<p>

Most knew that Naruto always saw things differently than usual. This included Sakura, the woman known for her assertive violence and her ability to put someone in their place. He looked beyond what others saw. In his eyes, there lay a sweet, kind Sakura-chan; the Sakura-chan he had come to know and love.

Many stared at him as though he were crazy. Sakura, _sweet_? Impossible.

But not to Naruto.

He saw the care in her eyes each time he would rest under her wing during a mission; each time she healed his wounds, no matter how mild. There wasn't the malice of a flaming olive-green when she was mad. Then there was the cute smile that made him look away instinctively. It was small and sweet, even a little bashful, and she would say: _I'm just glad to see that you're okay_. Her hands were the part that made her gentle. With those hands, she could handle an infant or even a baby bird. They held the power to stroke gingerly at his head as she bandaged his temple. They were pretty, soft hands that others looked upon as a deadly weapon.

Not Naruto.

When she'd step into his room in the hospital, her voice pulled thin and soft when she'd whisper his name to check if he was awake. It was like honey. It wasn't the menacing shriek that could make someone cower.

Others just wouldn't believe him.

But as he glanced beside him at the body curled over a sleeping back, he could only smile and resist the urge to rake his fingers through her rosy hair.

They didn't _deserve _to see that side of her, regardless.

無罪

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Eh, because nobody ever believes you when you tell them of a side of someone that isn't well known, this was born. Thank you for the request, SoulParadox. I hope you all enjoyed it ~<p>

**Request rules**:  
>The request bank is in act. Simply reviewPM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must**_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Reviews make for a great awakening in the morning. **_


	9. Sincerity

_.  
><em>

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>009: Sincerity<br>_Requested by_: anotheredguy

* * *

><p>誠意<p>

_Four years ago, if someone were to ask me if you were annoying, I would have replied with: Of course he is! He never knows when to shut up and he always gets in my way! Four years from then, if someone were to ask me if you were annoying, I would reply with: He can be—but it's just who he is. He's not annoying. He's just Naruto and I wouldn't want him to act any other way._

_Three years ago, if someone were to ask me if you were annoying, I would have replied with: Maybe. Sometimes he is, but he's not like he used to be. He still gets on my nerves though. Three years from then, if someone were to ask me if you were annoying, I would reply with: No, it's just his way of getting things done. It's just his way of being Naruto—even if it means annoying the hell out of people._

_Two years ago, if someone were to ask me if I missed you, I would have replied with: No. Who would miss a loudmouth like him? I don't miss him at all. Two years from then, if someone were to ask me if I had missed you, I would reply with: Yeah, I started missing him because the village wasn't as lively. There was no Naruto in our lives._

_One year ago, if someone were to ask me if I missed you, I would have replied with: Maybe a little. It's weird not having him come screaming 'Sakura-chan!' at me. But I don't miss him. One year from then, if someone were to ask me if I had missed you, I would reply with: After a while, I really did start missing him. It wasn't the same without Naruto—especially not for me._

_Half a year ago, if someone were to ask me what I thought of you, I would have replied with: He looks mature, but on the inside nothing has changed. He's still the dumbass he used to be. Half a year from then, if someone were to ask me what I thought of you, I would reply with: He looks mature, but that's not the only thing. Naruto has matured too . . . and it's kind of sad to know that he's all grown up now._

_Right now, if someone were to ask me how I felt about you, I would have replied with: What are you talking about? I don't know . . . However many years from then, if someone were to ask me how I felt about you, I would reply with: It's hard to explain, but each year he's slowly growing on me more and more. That's all I can really say. That's how I feel about Naruto._

_—Sincerely, Sakura._

誠意

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>I dedicate this specially to ( <em>anotheredguy <em>) because he's always having me smile with his _own _sincerity. This was a nice challenge to undergo, and I ended up combining all of my ideas into one as a form of thinking outside of the box. This wound up as a timeline, almost as though it were showing how Sakura's thoughts on Naruto were slowly changing from when she was a genin to the chuunin she is now.  
>I liked it, and hopefully you all do too : )<p>

**Request rules**:  
>The request bank is in act. Simply reviewPM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must**_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Keep me smiling with a review.**_


	10. Bliss

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>010: Bliss<br>_Requested by_: thegurlwhowrites7865

* * *

><p>至福<p>

It was out in the playground during lunch hour that it happened. Children laughed and screamed as bundles ran across the pavement, others throwing each other down the slide. Some attempted to do a back flip whilst on the swings and others such as Sakura simply walked past these students with a bento box in hand.

She stepped past her rowdy classmates, in search of her usual spot on the field, right where the breeze blew best. When she finally took a seat and smoothened out her sundress with her bento laid neatly over her thighs, wrapping folded beneath it, her eyes traced over its continents. She wasn't expecting a ridged voice to speak out to her, nor was she expecting the sunlight over her to suddenly disappear.

"Always having such a nice lunch, aren't you?" spoke the voice, to which Sakura glanced up to with a flinch. "Where's your little friend, hm?" There came a flick to her forehead and a sudden tug at the ribbon around her head. "All alone, aren't you? How sad."

Sakura's eyes widened when there came a clatter of chopsticks and bento box. Immediately, she looked at her food, which was now scattered over the grass, and more importantly, over her. Her brows furrowed and her attention turned back up at the three girls sniggering above her—specifically the middle one with long, choppy hair.

"Don't go around flaunting yourself now that Ino's accepted you. You're still just the nobody with that large forehead of yours." Laughter roared, and Sakura simply looked down, biting her lip; unsure of what to say. Instead, tears stung through her eyes, and her hands flexed into fists. "Disgusting. C'mon, girls!"

With that, Sakura listened as their voices distanced and blended back into the playground where nobody bothered to look over at the scene. Her hands rose to her head, feeling at the loose bow she attempted to fix. As she forced back her welled tears, she couldn't help but notice the light block out once again. Her attention rose, reluctantly, and she found herself face to face with an extended palm.

There stood the blond boy from her homeroom; the class clown, Naruto, who always smiled and played pranks. He grinned down at her, cocking his head to the side.

"Are you okay?" he said, and this made her eyes widen.

Nobody ever bothered to ask if she was okay.

Her cheeks grew tinged in a sweet pink, and she gave a nod before returning her attention to her ribbon. Thus, Naruto plopped beside her, clumsily ruffling with something in his other hand. As Sakura brushed away the grains of rice remaining on her dress, as well as the varieties of vegetables and condiments, his hand swung out in front of her, this time gripping a torn sandwich.

She turned to him, eyes wider than before, cheeks darker than before, and she observed that bright grin he directed at her as he held the other half of the sandwich in his free hand. Sakura broke out a small grin as she shuffled her bento box back in order, wrapping it back into the cloth brought along with it. Her small hands then accepted the sandwich, and she turned back at him.

"Thank you . . ." she managed to say, and Naruto reacted at once with a thick swallow from the bite he had already taken.

"No problem!" He looked at her with a sheepish look and even a blush. "Sa—_Sakura-chan_. . . is it?"

Sakura ignored the suffix and nodded lightly as she savored what she now distinguished as peanut butter accompanied by banana. The sweets complimented her thoughts; thus, Sakura smiled brightly at Naruto, and this caused him to glance away with a crooked smile as well as a pair of burning cheeks.

It was out in the playground during lunch hour that it happened; the first time anybody had ever _truly _acknowledged Sakura.

至福

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>At first, I had looked at this with the thought: "<em>What in the hell will I write out with this theme<em>?" since I honestly found it a bit challenging. Strangely enough, I had my window open today and I was just staring out of it. There's a daycare about a block or two from my house and there suddenly came the sound of screaming children. I let my mind wander and I ended up thinking this up for _Bliss_. However you end up interpreting it ( _for it to fit with its theme, that is_ ) is entirely up to you ; )

I hope you guys liked this one because for some reason, I wound up very attached to it. I really, really liked it. _Heh_. Thank you for the request, _thegurlwhowrites7865_!

**Request rules**: The request bank is in act. Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex ( _i.e_: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Most already know how much I enjoy your reviews.**_


	11. Creation

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>011: Creation<br>_Requested by_: CorruptAngel920

* * *

><p>創造<p>

When the sun shone from its highest point, right where it watched those below it from the middle of the sky, the training grounds stood lone and sad without the usual company. It was lunch hour at this time and so, company would betray the formidable obstacle course, instead scattering into the streets of Konohagakure in search of something to quench their well-worked for thirst. All but Naruto and Sakura—but only for today.

Together, the teammates lay sprawled and sweaty on dusty grounds, shadowed in the outlines of the forest. It was comfortable, they had to admit, even if it was particularly disgusting to Sakura when the dirt decided to follow her by sticking onto her skin. Even so, she grew to ignore it since her limbs were sore, and instead she plopped back onto the ground beside Naruto.

"Sakura-chan," he said, eyes closed. "Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to die?" She didn't answer quick enough, and thus he decided to continue. "It's kind of scary, isn't it? You know, death."

Sakura's head turned to her right and she squinted at him when a beam of sunlight gleamed into her eyes.

"What are you going on about?"

He flipped onto his left, now facing her fully.

"Cause hasn't it crossed your mind during any sparring sessions?" He paused. "That's why I don't like to go all out on you, Sakura-chan . . ."

Sakura frowned.

"Don't be stupid," she huffed, glancing at him. "I can take care of myself, Naruto; I'm not some weak little genin anymore. You know that."

Naruto, much to her surprise, didn't grin at her. Instead, he stared at her without ungluing his eyes from her. With a blink, he spoke again.

"That doesn't matter to me."

Sakura looked away, focusing on the breeze as she thought. When she looked back at him, he was still looking at her. She sighed, shifting her arm to hold a palm out at him.

"Give me your hand."

"Huh?"

"_Give me your hand_."

Clumsily, Naruto lifted his right hand, to which Sakura grabbed onto and pulled on. She brought it close over her chest and placed it just above her breasts, holding it in place with her hand. She glanced back at him, cheeks mildly pink compared to the crimson burning on Naruto. Nevertheless, her expression remained nonchalant and she looked away.

"You can feel it, right? My heart." Knowing that he'd be too stunned to reply, she pressed on. "It means that I'm alive and that I'm breathing. As long as I still have you by my side, I'm sure it'll stay that way."

The hand resting over Naruto's crept away, allowing him to bring his own back into possession.

If his stare hadn't been enough before, it was now with the wide, brimming eyes of azure that refused to leave her.

She smiled, concluding her words.

創造

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>What comes after each death? A new breath of life, of course. A new creation.<p>

Haha, I took a bit of a loophole out for this theme, but only because it was the main way I could state my idea in words. _CorruptAngel920 _has come to be a great friend of mine here on FF, and his kindness/motivation has pushed me past a deep thread of thought I had gone into. I appreciate him so much.

While I like most of the drabbles I write, this one, I must say, really grabbed my interest. Because of that, I hope that you all like it – especially _CorruptAngel920 _: )

* * *

><p><em>Yvette wants to say<em>:

* * *

><p>I'll just put this out there because I feel like I should. I don't consider myself an AU writer, though due to a few posts that I came across a week or two back, I'll claim <em>Solacement<em> as AU because I will make no promises/attempts in making this collection canon. Whether it be drabble wise or characterization wise, I'm just exploring and bringing out ideas and such. Even so, my only goal in this is to make my drabbles believable to a certain extent, and while it may '_not_' be to some, for those of you who it '_is_' believable for, you have my gratification. It's those who _do _that I write for, not for those who are searching for spot-on canon because I'm sure that I wouldn't please them anyway. I sound like a sap right now, and I apologize. My absence was due to a deep period of thought on all of this but I've come to grow past it.

All in all, what I'm trying to say is to not expect complete canon material in these drabbles. While I may sneak in some parts here and there form very minor slices of the manga, my drabbles, for the most part, are just forms of enjoyment and exploration. Characterization wise, I won't even go into that. It's up to the readers, _you_, to decide whether or not you find it possible/believable in whatever way I portray Naruto/Sakura. I know that I'm not capturing them in the way they've been developed up until the current manga chapter, because if that were the case, I'm sure that these drabbles would be more angsty than fluffy. Bah. Whatever, people. Whatever. I won't please everyone and that's okay – just as long as I don't get disrespected for it.

That's all, and for those who enjoy them – more is set to come. Yvette is back ~  
>. . .<p>

**Request rules**:  
>The request bank is in act. Simply reviewPM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**_: _Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

**_It's been a while since I've seen a review from you guys._**


	12. Frolic

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>012: Frolic<br>_Requested by_: hatakevan

* * *

><p>燥ぐ<p>

It's summer season in Konohagakure. Step past the bustling streets and follow through until you reach the ports. Here we see two figures standing beneath the sunrays, barefoot on the grass lining the bridge.

Sakura, the feminine figure, spreads her arms out as a breeze slices past them, carrying the waves in the water over one another. Naruto, the blonde, male figure, leans down with a grin to whisper something into her ear. Her eyes flick to him as her arms slowly descend to her sides.

"Why?"

"Just trust me, Sakura-chan. Trust me and give me your hands!"

She stares at him before hesitating to slowly place her palms into awaiting hands. Suddenly, her sundress flutters when he gives her a pull, swaying their bodies left and right. She blinks wide at the grin he holds before they twirl and cause her stomach to flutter. The grass crunches between their toes, tickling the soles of their feet as they follow each other's pace.

"_W—what are we_—!" Sakura's voice cuts off as Naruto steps forward, clumsily mashing her foot under his own before stepping back. "_Ow_!"

"Sorry, Sakura-chan." While he sounds apologetic, he ignores any following complaints by lifting his arm and turning her.

This follows through, even as Sakura begins to smile past her bewilderment. Her smile grows as she watches Naruto close his eyes to hum an offbeat tune with his own impish smile. Laughter cackles behind the tune when he decides to frolic further along the grass, Sakura stumbling happily behind him, still clenching her fingers between his own.

燥ぐ

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Hooray, I hear you cry! She finally updated!<p>

Haha, I apologize. My summer is beginning to leave me dejected since I will be returning to my classes in less than a month. However, this is nothing. I was simply taking some time off from writing. Now, as for this cute little drabble ( in my eyes, at least ), I pictured it a while back. It has no general story behind it and it's simply just something a little fun. I hope that you all enjoyed it, especially _hatakevan_, who requested the theme _Dance_! I wound up converting the word to fit the drabble.  
>I hope you don't mind ~<p>

**Request rules**: The request bank is in act. Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**My inbox has been empty lately. Care to refill it with a review? **_


	13. Scintillation

_._

__All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly.__

* * *

><p>013: Scintillation<br>_Requested by_: pendulii

* * *

><p>煌めき<p>

I never expected him to lead me into an ice cream parlor, though when we stepped inside, and when he told me to sit down on the seat in front of him so he could face me, I couldn't help but smile.

Naruto knew I liked sweets. Bringing me to the popular little parlor to the east of the village, discreet and right at the corner of the market place, was probably the best thing he'd done for me yet. That is, until he told me that I could order _anything _I wanted; anything I'd always been dying to try—no matter how sick and unhealthy and full of calories it may be. He offered to pay whatever price, and to finally convince me, he brought up a similar scenario with the new dishes added onto the menu of Ichiraku every month or so.

I'd like to say that I did my best to hide the impulse within me, but with all honesty, I wound up flipping through the menu with eyes like a child set upon the greatest selection of candies.

Naruto eventually noticed the various glances I shot up after sticking to a particular page for a good minute or two. I don't blame him, though, since it was a bit attention-grabbing when my eyes darted from him to the menu and back to him again. This brought him to lean forward towards me with a grin.

"Find something you like, Sakura-chan?"

With one final glance to him, I flushed and looked away with a discouraged pout.

"_It's expensive_—are you sure you're_ really _willing to pay? It may not be worth the money . . ."

He shook his head in an instant, his smile growing wider.

"Nah! You order whatever you like, Sakura-chan! My income from last week's mission just mailed in today, so don't worry about it! I'll pay for you. Promise."

I stared at him,_ hard_.

A part of me almost changed my order to a cheaper choice, but the waitress ended up at our table before I could really decide _what _to change it to. Instead, I ordered my original choice—a classical parfait I had always wanted to try from when I was nothing more than an academy student. Not only that, but I also spouted out a line of personalized additions, one of which being to add extra strawberries and whipped cream.

She was gone with our orders jotted down soon after.

Just as Naruto and I were discussing his previously mentioned mission, our waitress waltzed back to our table with both our orders set upon her tray. I'm sure my eyes didn't only _feel_ as though they glittered when she placed my exceptionally stacked and large parfait before me. She cooed a simple _Enjoy! _before spinning back towards the next table.

I didn't know where to begin, especially not when there was a montage of ice cream, nuts, fruit—_strawberries_—and whipped cream spiraled into the depths of the beautiful glass towering on the table. The pocky peaking out behind the cherry set at the very top called out to me, and before long, I took my spoon and dug it into the continents.

The expression set on me after that bite must have matched the euphoria I felt.

After the much-exaggerated '_mmm_' I let out, I looked up at Naruto, who sat and watched with a hand supporting his head as he chewed on a piece of the waffle cone that came within his tasty-looking gelato. The look in his eyes, accompanied with the smile he directed towards me, only made my cheeks redden more than they already were from my enjoyment; however, I swallowed that away by smiling back, sincerely.

"Naruto, _thank you_. You don't know how much this means to me."

I watched his eyes snap away from what seemed to be a trance, and he leaned away from his hand, instead running it through his hair before rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. He chuckled.

"Don't mention it, Sakura-chan. It's nothing if it means seeing you smile like that."

I'm not sure there's a word to describe the feeling that stung through me for the rest of our date—the date he had persisted long and hard for earlier that morning.

煌めき

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>I wrote this at two in the morning when I couldn't sleep. I was very pleased with the outcome, actually.<p>

For those of you who may have looked at the word "_Scintillation_" and asked what the hell it meant ( I don't blame you all, since that was my exact thought when this _wonderful_ request was brought up ), it can be known as a synonym for _sparkle_ or _glitter_. Apply that to anything in relation to this drabble and I'll see how you guys interpret it. There's more than just a one way ; )

This drabble may be a little AU due to some of the things mentioned, though I generally imagined this in Konohagakure regardless. Also, from the _Naruto Character Profiles_, considering two dishes that Sakura likes, I decided to make her someone who has a bit of a sweet tooth when it comes to fruit. That being said, my taste in classical, old-fashioned romances and such kicked in when I added the concept of an ice cream parlor.

Over all, I hope that both _pendulii_ and those of you out there enjoyed this _slightly-longer-than-usual _drabble. It gave me a very fluffy feel, in particular ~

**Request rules**:  
>The request bank is in act. Simply reviewPM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: <em>you may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**I always appreciate those of you kind enough to take your time to review. Continue making me smile, you wonderful people!**_


	14. Omen

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>014: Omen<br>_Requested by_: pink-cherry-005

* * *

><p>前兆<p>

_Just leave the talking to me_, she had said to them. She shouldered every ounce of responsibility with those words, and she _accepted_ the responsibility with her pride. In fact, it wasn't until she was questioned as to _how _she was going to handle the situation that Sakura grew into a withdrawal of her own little world—and she hardly ever stepped out from it since.

One would think that the heavily bustled noise from the blizzard around them and the voices shouting to-and-fro between it would be enough to drive their thoughts into the near corner of their concerns; however, to Sakura this didn't seem to be a problem. With a situation like hers, there was no time for distractions and there was certainly no time to waste.

What was she to say to him? Oh, there was too much to say; too many meaningless apologies to offer; too much to begin from; too much to consider.

All the more, whether she felt the uttermost guilt on her part and whether she felt confused, even, was nothing of her greatest concerns. All that mattered was reaching Naruto. Though, deep down, regardless of her final decision, there was still one thing probing between every jumbled scrap and draft in her mind.

_He's in love with me. _

He was in love with her.

_He loves me . . ._

He _loved _her, and—_dare she admit it—_she honestly believed that she did too.

前兆

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>I cannot <em>begin <em>to explain how much trouble this simple little theme caused me.

This is the reason why I skipped a near week or two of updating—simply because I was stuck in a rut about how/what I was going to do about writing for _Omen_. Let me also tell you that _pink-cherry-005_ personalized the theme a little as well, only to offer me an idea of what she wished to see reflected onto her request. While I may have not taken every personalization and incorporated it into this, I took the main concept—which was Sakura's thoughts before her confession in the manga. I hope this is okay, pink-cherry. Not to mention that _Solacement _is based on fluff—thus meaning that I had to eliminate Sakura's newfound guilt and the irony in her confession. It added onto my difficulty, haha.

I think that in the end this turned out better than I had imagined and thus, I hope that you all enjoyed it.

* * *

><p><strong>Request Notice<strong>:

* * *

><p>For the time's being, I shall be closing the request bank.<p>

I currently have ten themes in waiting, and I wish first get through with those before adding onto the list. I also do not want to keep any more of you waiting, knowing that my summer ( along with many others ) has come to an end for the remainder of 2011. If any of you really don't mind the wait, feel free to leave a theme regardless of what I just said; I'm simply trying to save you all from a three month wait ( at worst ). I offer my many thanks to those of you who have left requests in the past! I appreciate you so much and I enjoy your sets of challenging themes.  
>I love you all and I wish you a fabulous weekend ~<p>

_**My inbox is so lonely nowadays but I still smile when I see that exceptional review.**_


	15. Marriage

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>015: Marriage<br>_Requested by_: Ratchet McCloud

* * *

><p>結婚<p>

When she smiles it's cute and wide and the hue in her cheeks always brightens the specs of yellow in her green, green eyes. That's her normal smile and I _really _love it, but I don't love it as much as the grin that highlights her embarrassingly adorable laugh.

When she was an academy student and when I was still considered a dropout if not flunky, she almost never laughed but when she did, it was something that always caught my attention in record's time.

_Who's that giggling over there by the swing set? _I had asked Kiba one Friday afternoon.

_Oh, the Haruno girl over there? That's Sakura._

And from that day on I had always stared in awe at the crinkled corners of her eyes and her raised brows and her seemingly-perfect smile, which she almost _always_ covered when her hands flew over her face if she laughed particularly hard—which then caught my attention even _more_.

_This girl_, I always thought, _I want to marry this girl_!

And as she lets out a snort when I finish telling her some lame joke, I know that I still do.

結婚

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Merry ( belated ) Christmas to you all.<br>I've been absent for a good four months since August. I do apologize but as a gift to you all, I'm finally getting through all your long-awaited requests. More are still welcome to be made :)

The request bank is up again! ~

**Request rules**:

The request bank is in act.

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**:Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Reviews from you guys make me smile. **_


	16. Quixotic

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>016: Quixotic<br>_Requested by_: waterpus

* * *

><p>浪漫的<p>

When she was five, she told her mother that she wanted to meet a handsome shinobi who would sweep her off her feet, just like the maidens in her picture books. She wanted to fall in love with his charming smile, and his honey-sweet voice, and his candy-stricken words.

Her mother just laughed and said, "Of course, dear, but first you must close your eyes and go to sleep. He'll meet you there," and she pressed a pretty finger against her temple, "there in your dreams because you'll be a good little girl who knows her bedtime."

So she did, and he never came.

When she was ten, she told Ino that she wanted to meet a handsome shinobi whose mysterious character would lure her in love, just like the stories her grandmother told her one summer night. She wanted to fall in love with his endless aspects, and his black pearl eyes, and his cool, cool voice.

Ino just laughed and she said, "Gee, doesn't that sound familiar? Sure, you'll meet him," and she gave her temple a playful flick as she stuck out her tongue with a wink, "but he'll fall in love with me first."

So she pouted and let out a harrumph.

When she was fourteen, she whispered into her pillows that she wanted to meet a handsome shinobi who would love her the way she loved him, just like in the dreams she never had. She wanted to fall in love with his accepting smile, and his kind little words, and his one-of-a-kind self.

Sakura just laughed and she muffled, "I can dream, right?"

So she smiled into the fabrics, and she hoped and dreamed.

When she was sixteen, she whispered to Mother Nature that she wanted to meet a handsome shinobi who believed her forehead was charming, just like four years ago when Team Seven was one. She wanted to fall in love with his everything, and his pretty blue eyes, and his silly interest for orange.

Mother Nature just laughed with a sway of her breeze and she said nothing.

So she giggled at the swell in her chest when she glanced over at a sleeping head of blonde.

Mother Nature didn't need to tell her he had finally arrived.

She already knew.

浪漫的

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>A nice hint of AU ( but not entirely ) and fairy tale, because that's exactly what came to mind when I read over "Quixotic" as my next theme. I expect that you all will be pleased to hear that my delayed absence has brought abundance in <em>Solacement <em>updates.

To all of you who have waited patiently, thank you.

* * *

><p><strong>Request rules<strong>:

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Reviews from you guys make me smile.**_


	17. Serenity

_._

All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly.

* * *

><p>017: Serenity<br>_Requested by_: Take Me To My Fragile Dreams

* * *

><p>平静<p>

On the nights when she could barely catch a wink, when all she could do was listen to the cruelty of the nightly breeze slicing at her skin as she curled by their fire, Naruto would hum her a melody; a song.

She was a fragile thing, Sakura. He realized this the first night he awoke to her tossing and turning, hair tousled and hands clutched around her only blanket. Her brows would furrow, and her expression would tremble behind false fear.

Her nightmares, he realized, came on the nights of bloodshed.

So, he would yawn and rub at his tired eyes. His attention would graze to the flame fighting to accompany them through the twilight before going onto the helpless figure shivering beside him.

Voice husked and baritone, he often found himself humming an old tune from their academy days; an old melody he'd stroll to on the mornings of a good day. His fingers, soon running through her strawberry hair, combed gently through the thin, sweet-scented strands.

Head propped on his palm and statured by an elbow, Naruto would dose to the sway of her breaths; to the gentle slumber she would return to; to the doll-like glow of her features.

She was a fragile thing, his Sakura-chan, but nobody but Naruto knew this.

Not even Sakura.

平静

* * *

><p><strong> Author's Note:<strong>

* * *

><p>Good evening ( to those of you innear the Pacific, that is ). Cheers to a new chapter, and cheers to _Take Me To My Fragile Dreams_, a wonderfully loyal subscriber of mine. I hope you enjoyed your chapter, love, and hopefully the wait wasn't too much of a bother. To all of you as well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter ~

On that note,** Happy Birthday** to my great friend, Zach ( _CorruptAngel920 _) Heart*.

* * *

><p><strong>Request rules:<strong>

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Reviews make me smile.**_


	18. Elegance

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>018: Elegance<br>_Requested by_: NaruSakuChan

* * *

><p>優雅<p>

To Naruto, Sakura was always a woman marked by poise.

Even when she was angry, Naruto found a certain grace to her muttered (_ screeched_ ) profanity and to her vicious ( _ferocious _) aggression. He gawked at the lace-like motions of her punches, and at the patterns of her personally broken territory.

Her ability to heal amazed him, as did the captivating color of her chakra. The precision of her dangerous hands kept him tame and curious, as did the dulcet chime her voice could take, even when overcoming a roar of anger.

When Sakura was angry, her physique took the first of her reactions. One would call it impulsive; Naruto would call its results appalling, especially after inspecting previous dents in the walls ( _or what remained of them_ ). Oftentimes, he found, they were cleanly, accurately crumbled. Abrupt—_yes_—but surprisingly accurate.

During spars, Naruto's reality hit after discovering how cunning Sakura's mindset had become. Now at a ripe age past their genin and chunin years, Sakura had grown into a frightening opponent.

Analytical. Rigorous. Fleet. Brutal.

Once, he recalls a twisted situation that included coming face to face with the sweet little Sakura-chan he'd met at the academy. His pulse quickened at their closeness, his muscles burning as he found himself in various joint-locks, crouched and helpless as she smirked at his defeat.

Medical-nin were a dangerous bunch, he later decided. Their expertise in anatomic location and function called for a perilous end if they decided to muddle the structures—which they easily could if provoked.

By the ends of it, Naruto smiled at Sakura's talents. He, just as much of the Konohagakure population had come, admired her greatly.

優雅

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

* * *

><p>It's a bright and beautiful Saturday here in the Pacific Coasts, and so I wish you guys a wonderful afternoon. While I've got various projects to undergo, I bring you this chapter, which I was originally supposed to update during the mid-week. I faced some difficulties with sleep, but I bring you the chapter now, regardless. I'll see you all soon!<p>

* * *

><p><em><em>**Request rules:**

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

**__**Reviews are wonderful source to read through during the day.**__**


	19. Insouciance

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>019: Insouciance<br>_Requested by_: Lazy Gaga

* * *

><p>無頓着<p>

On the days she stormed ( _or dragged _) herself out from her hospital shifts, those which called for a break, Sakura liked to retreat to Naruto. These were days when she'd had enough of sickly auras, or even when she'd just stay at home feeling sorry for herself if she was having a bad day. Sometimes they were ordinary days, which Naruto happened to make something more.

Naruto, without saying, reminded her of the importance of life at its origin. He taught her how to live freely.

He'd buy her a skewer of her favorite mochi, or perhaps a scoop of her preferred ice cream flavor when she was feeling down. He'd meet her by the hospital doors after a shift or two, sometimes offering a stray bloom he'd found along the way.

_It was just at its peak, so I thought you'd like it!_

Occasionally, he'd stroll along with her to her apartment, and he'd ask to take the long way. When she'd ask him why, he'd simply reply with, "To enjoy my time with you, and vice versa!"

She'd laugh.

If they passed by the academy, she'd look over at the children springing around the courtyard, and then at the twinkle in Naruto's eyes as they listened to their laughter.

She noticed the waltz in his steps as he nodded his head side to side, mind clear, hands clasped behind his head. The color in his expression glowed, and as she'd slowly ask him why he seemed so happy, he'd say, "Well, why not, Sakura-chan? I've got you walking by my side, I've got everyone there is to have here living in Konohagakure, I've got a roof to return under by sundown, and there's a life-supply of ramen stocked in the cabinets of my flat!"

She'd listen, watching as his grin grew more and more sincere, eyes bright.

"When it comes down to it, Sakura-chan, life may as well be life. You've got to enjoy when you have, and you've got to embrace it!"

He was a free spirit, and Sakura sincerely loved him for it. He reminded her not to worry.

He kept her happy.

He kept her smiling.

無頓着

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Another update? Wonderful, isn't it? Daylight savings time is in act as of today. Waking up is going to be such much more of a hassle now.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Request rules<strong>:

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

_**Reviews make me smile.**_


	20. Thrill

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly._

* * *

><p>020: Thrill<br>_Requested by_: Fanwoman

* * *

><p>スリル<p>

With Naruto, nothing comes with expectance. It's a fact, and Sakura thoroughly enjoys it.

So, it's only natural that the summer when they're playing hide-and-seek with the academy students, she finds herself breathing anticipation as she presses against the wall lining the final hall, just by the play area and just before cleared view.

She bites her lip and smiles.

Youthful first-years rustle around the corners, all of which fighting to stifle their bubbling laughter.

_Shh_, she motions with a finger to her crooked lips. They nod and fidget amongst themselves.

She's watching the horizon, back still pressed against the wall. The sun is rippling heat against its canvas as it melts into poppy-oranges and blends its pinks and yellows into blue. Cicadas are mocking the children with giggles until Sakura hears a gasp in their crowd and grows still.

Her lip quivers, pulse streaming as she feels her chest swell with excitement.

She hid the children well, as she did with herself. Their stealth, however, has come to an end.

Zori crunch against pavement, and the children huddle against their crack in the wall.

Sakura's breath stops, and she listens to their surrounding until she hears a—_RAHHH!_

Screams and bursts of laughter and chatter fill the courtyard. The first-years scatter from their hiding place, away from Naruto, who has his arms out like a bear, t-shirt rippling in the breeze.

He's grinning, and Sakura exhales, still watching from her spot on the wall.

"_Boo_," she hears, suddenly flinching to her left with a shriek to find a menacingly close Naruto towering over her, caging her beneath his torso with an arm above her head.

Her eyes are wide as he smirks down at her, expression cool. _The puff of the bunshin in the backdrop ghosts_.

"_Found you_," he whispers, smirk growing wider as she fights to react properly.

Her eyes lower, and she slowly finds herself laughing equally as jubilant as the children do. Her eyes are bright, expression childlike, and it's not until Naruto swipes her between his two swift palms, head pulled close to his, that she finds herself in a greater sense of astonishment.

Within a heartbeat, Sakura's standing by her wall with a blankly flowing mind, cheeks flushed and eyes strayed.

She's left listening to the rumble of footsteps and the faint, "_You're it_!" in her distance when she finally realizes it's her turn.

By sundown, Sakura's adrenaline has only kicked further in exhilaration.

スリル

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>It's a stormy Friday today; the rain has been pattering quite loudly. It's the perfect weather to nod off to, if you ask me. I'm about ready to fall asleep, though I thought it'd be a nice evening to update for you guys.<p>

This was a favorite of mine, and I expect that you all read between the lines. Naruto made a nice move, don't you think? There's nothing I love more than a spontaneous man, haha.

_Yes, he kissed her._

* * *

><p><strong>Request rules<strong>:

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

**_A review for the morning is always a nice gift._**


	21. Parsimonious

_._

_All credit belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. This written collection belongs to yours truly. _

* * *

><p>021: Parsimonious<br>_Requested by_: NyxieCat

* * *

><p>物欲しげな<p>

One week before his eighteenth birthday, Sakura paces front and back, pondering about interests and probable gift ideas. He gave her a well-spent evening at her choice of restaurant, a sloppily wrapped journal and pencil kit, and a lace ribbon for her birthday months back in the spring; it is only fair that she do something for him in return, especially when she _wants _to.

The days slowly pull by and Sakura has yet to think of a reasonable gift. She has, however, made frequent stops to the market place and purchased various fabrics. She figures throwing something together is better than nothing.

Often before wandering off to bed, Sakura sits cross-legged on the rugged floorboards of her living room, waiting for a kettle of tea to spew as she listens to the static and broadcastings of her radio. In her hands is a gathering of vintage kimono fabric, reams of old fade-print bed sheets, terry cloth, lace. She's fumbling with a pouch of stuffing and an angry needle that has stabbed at her fingertips countless times when her there's a whistle of steam from her stove.

When back on the floor, she works until she drinks down her nightly cup of tea.

On Naruto's final evening as a seventeen-year-old, Sakura smiles down at her weeks-worth creation sitting on her kitchen counter. With a final tug at the orange bow tied over its belly, she takes it into her arms before departing out of her flat and down to the pathway leading to Naruto's apartments.

It's five past midnight when he opens his door and finds her grinning outside his doormat extending a round, plush toad holding a cup of ramen tied in orange.

"Happy birthday!" she beams, her grin bright as the sound of her voice.

Before she can react, Sakura is jerked ( _smashed _) into a brawny embrace. In a breathless motion, Naruto takes and cradles the offered amphibian.

"Sakura-chan, _I don't even_," Naruto stammers, his smile widening much too greatly for him to speak. "_You didn't have to get me anything_!"

She laughs, arms clasping behind her. "I didn't buy it; I made it."

Naruto's expression ghosts into further awe.

"I honestly wasn't sure what to get you, so I ended up making that." She motions to the toad in his arms. "It just came to me, and, well, I wasn't sure about it at first, but in the end he came out looking better than I thought."

Again, Sakura finds herself suddenly in his arms, now tighter than before.

"_You don't know how much this means to me_," he muffles into her hair.

They stand, together, and all she has herself do is smile.

_You're welcome._

物欲しげな

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>:

* * *

><p>Another update for you wonderful people. It's no where near the 10th of October, however, I suppose my own birthday, which is this upcoming Tuesday ( 20 March ), could be a substitute. I suppose I got excited as I fought to decide for a plausible drabble, haha.<p>

_I think this is my personal favorite so far._

_NyxieCat_, I do apologize for straying from your original concept on a jealous Naruto. I do hope _Parsimonious_ ( cheap; penny-pinching; a form of greedy selfishness ) makes up as a good synonym for your original word, _Selfish_. By the ends of it, I hope you, as well as everyone else, enjoyed your request ~

_**Additional note**_:  
>For those of you wondering about how "selfishness" was incorporated, I decided to take a loophole into this all and make it so it is "not" displayed. I hope this makes sense. Leave it to Yvette to think of a wacky way to play off a theme, haha :P<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Request Rules<strong>:

* * *

><p>The request bank is in act.<p>

Simply review/PM me with your desired theme. The theme, however, _**must **_be a bit challenging, maybe even a little complex.  
>( <em>i.e<em>: **Simple**: Attractive – **Complex**: Alluring ).  
>Don't feel pressured or anything though: Y<em>ou may still request any theme you'd like and I will simply convert it into a synonym<em>.

**_A review for the morning is always a nice gift._**


	22. Ersatz

09 July 2013

* * *

><p>022. (ersatz) 1. serving as a substitute; synthetic; artificial<br>**requested by**: wubbzy

* * *

><p>The thing with Sakura is how easily her emotions show. No matter the expression, the emotion will always be there filling in the details. With Naruto, however, it's possible for this truth to be a truth multiplied into a fact. He can't choose to hide what he feels, no matter how hard he prays or hopes.<p>

Sakura reads into the dulled color of falsely azure eyes knowing exactly when he's feeling as under the weather as the blue-gray she'll attempt to look at. She can always feel the sting coming from the smile he likes to flash at the world when they ask what's wrong – the sting screaming behind it, _pleading_ them not to rub the pain in his face at to just _play along_, for once. There's an emptiness in the way he'll reply to her, an unusual flatness in the whiny, perky voice she's grown to love and recognize.

So, the moment he chooses to tell her (again) that nothing is wrong, she frowns thickly before forcing him to look he **square** in the eyes and tell her, with all normalcy, that he's not upset, that he's not hurt, that he's not breaking inside.

Like always, he eventually cracks and throws his hands down and paces away and back, shaking his head and chewing on his bottom lip.

He sits down and begins to ramble about all the things that have been biting at him for the past week: the stale ramen, Tsunade's pissy mood, the heightened phone bill, the droopiness of his houseplants, the slow mission rate, the scorching July heat. He tells her all he's wanted is a break from everything, that all he wants is to take a dip in a lake and feel the coolness of the breeze. He just wants an _escape_.

When his rant finally dies down, he can always count on Sakura to be there with her knowing eyes looking back at him sympathetically, despite the mild smirk fighting its way onto her lips.

"Let's get some ice cream," she replies as she gets up, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "My treat."

He slowly rises and follows behind her, eventually adorning a thankful smile.

She knows when he's not telling the truth. She knows (_and listens_) better than anyone else ever will.

.

.

* * *

><p>note1. Whoa. About a yeara little over a year without updates ... and right after saying (on my profile) that I'd be moving accounts. Things really do change, as do opinions, hm? I'm back, both with a refined writing style, a head full of different ideas, an updated penname (no longer _her voice of adieux_), and a thousand+ apologies.

note2. I'm sorry definitely for such a long wait, but I'm just as glad as you guys hopefully are to be back. The past year and a half just hadn't been working out for me in terms of writing and just in general hobby terms. It was refreshing to write again after going so long with a lack of inspiration; and, although my alternate account served for a few updates, something just didn't feel right. Worry not, the train is back on board and going! :D

A SPECIAL SHOUT-OUT TO MY WONDERFUL FRIEND: WUBBZY, who I hope has been well all this time. I do hope she enjoyed her request.

Thank you for reading, see you all in the future!

Yvette.

* * *

><p><strong>request bank<strong>:  
>For those of you who wish to contribute to this collection, here are my only rulesregulations:

Drop by with any word word of your preference, and I'll go ahead and write a theme/drabble based on that word. It's preferable if the word is slightly complex,

(ie. **simple** = Smart / **complex** = Intelligent),

- but either way I can work around a word by simply converting it as I've done in the past. In other words, you're free to choose whatever you're in the mood for ~! PMs or reviews are welcome when making requests.

* * *

><p>Nothing says "Good morning" like a review in your inbox after a long absence - so for those of you who wish to, feel free to leave one!<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: Credit for _Naruto_ belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.


End file.
